WPY 2017

Wings of winter

Hunting for moths with a torch, ‘I was soon covered in them’, says Imre. He used an in-camera double exposure, lighting the moth with multiple bursts from a stroboscopic flash and firing the shutter again with the focus on the stars. It took many attempts to create this image, revealing the moth’s night-time pursuits.

From late October to early January, clouds of male winter moths search for the scent of the wingless females. Each female can lay 350 eggs that hatch in spring to take advantage of the first flush of green leaves. This early rush of life is a feast for blue tits, which feed their young on the succulent green caterpillars.

Photograph Details

Finalist 2017

Behaviour: Invertebrates

Imre Potyó, Hungary

Wings of winter

Hunting for moths with a torch, ‘I was soon covered in them’, says Imre. He used an in-camera double exposure, lighting the moth with multiple bursts from a stroboscopic flash and firing the shutter again with the focus on the stars. It took many attempts to create this image, revealing the moth’s night-time pursuits.

From late October to early January, clouds of male winter moths search for the scent of the wingless females. Each female can lay 350 eggs that hatch in spring to take advantage of the first flush of green leaves. This early rush of life is a feast for blue tits, which feed their young on the succulent green caterpillars.

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Imre Potyó, Hungary

Imre is a scientific researcher based in Hungary who took up photography in 2007. His photos have received numerous awards, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year and GDT (the Society of German Nature Photographers) European Wildlife Photographer of the Year. He was named the Hungarian National Winner at the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards.